Using multiple tight-end sets has been a pillar of the Matt LaFleur offense with the Green Bay Packers. In 2021, the team was second in frequency (just behind the Miami Dolphins, who had Mike Gesicki as a de facto wide receiver) and third in success rate with 12 personnel. Last year, on first downs, the 12 personnel was the second most utilized by the Packers — 37% of the snaps, behind the 11 personnel, with 50%, and well ahead of the 21 personnel, with 9%.

For most of the time, the two tight ends were Robert Tonyan as a receiver and Marcedes Lewis as an extra blocker. For 2023, though, both players are gone. Tonyan signed with the Chicago Bears in free agency, and Lewis reportedly won’t re-sign in Green Bay either. The new group at the position, however, might be an indication that the offensive coaching staff keeps the willingness to play multiple tight ends at the same time.

The Packers took two tight ends on day 2 of the draft, and it’s curious to see how they can fit together. Reading Luke Musgrave’s and Tucker Kraft’s draft profiles on NFL.com, there is one element who catches the attention about it.

Luke Musgrave
Musgrave has starter potential and should gain a coveted slot on draft boards from teams looking to add versatility to their 12 personnel (two tight ends) packages.

Tucker Kraft
Kraft provides formational versatility that will be appealing for teams that make heavy use of 12 personnel (two tight ends). He has the body control and catch toughness to be more than just a traditional Y tight end. 

The Packers got two tight ends because they were extremely thin at the position. The only viable option was Josiah Deguara, who is mostly an h-back and is in the final year of his rookie deal. Tyler Davis is basically a special teamer, and his performance last season was uninspiring. The other tight ends in the room were Austin Allen and Nick Guggemos, training camp-type players. So there was obviously a short- and long-term need to address. But the fact that general manager Brian Gutekunst attacked the need with two top-100 picks shows that he wants to make sure at least one of them pans out, but also that the Packers projects to use both together if things go right.

“I love,” said Gutekunst when asked about the idea of doubling down at tight end. In fact, getting multiple players from the same position has been a modus operandi for the Packers since Gutekunst took over in 2018.

2018
CBs: Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson
WRs: J'Mon Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Equanimeous St-Brown

2020
OL: Jon Runyan, Jake Hanson, and Simon Stepaniak

2021
OL: Josh Myers, Royce Newman, and Cole Van Lanen
CBs: Eric Stokes and Shemar Jean-Charles

2022
OL: Sean Rhyan, Zach Tom, and Rasheed Walker
WRs: Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Samori Toure
DL: Devonte Wyatt and Jonathan Ford

2023
TEs: Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft
WRs: Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Grant DuBose
DL: Colby Wooden, Karl Brooks

The 12 personnel has been popular in the NFL, especially because defenses have become more flexible and versatile, with linebackers and defensive backs with capacity to cover. Using multiple tight ends with athletic ability to block and receive is a great way to attack it, particularly for an offense which values the “illusion of complexity”. Hopefully for the Packers, it might be even better with Musgrave and Kraft than it was with Tonyan and Lewis, because the younger players don’t have such defined roles.

The most classic recent example of 12 personnel usage was the New England Patriots in the early 2010s, when the team drafted Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez in the same 2010 class. Hernandez obviously had personal problems, but in the brief period they were together, it was a highly effective pairing.

"Probably the biggest thing is how many formations and adjustments they can run out of it, which comes back to the versatility and unique skills of the top two tight ends, Gronkowski and Hernandez," once wrote Mike Reiss, who covers the Patriots for ESPN. "They could be empty in the package, with both tight ends split out wide, or more tightly compact in a traditional look with both tight ends aligned next to the tackles. Sometimes they play up-tempo with it. Other times they slow it down. So there are really so many things you can do out of the package, which again is tied to the uniqueness of Gronkowski and Hernandez. When one of those players has been injured, the package isn't as dynamic, and at times in those situations, the Patriots will use a third receiver over a second tight end."

In 2021, the Miami Dolphins led the league in 12 personnel by a wide margin (61%), but Mike Gesicki was one of the tight ends. He is a glorified wide receiver, so the versatility wasn’t there. When Mike McDaniel became the Dolphins head coach, Gesicki didn’t have many more opportunities, and this offseason he left in free agency — and went, wait for it, to the Patriots, where he can play alongside Hunter Henry.

It’s early to tell exactly how the Packers will use Musgrave and Kraft, especially because tight ends generally take some time to develop and to adapt to the NFL game. However, the best-case scenario for Green Bay is a dangerous package for opposing defenses.

Photo: USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK